Japan recently launched its annual mass dolphin slaughter - allowing "fishermen" to round up and butcher tens of thousands of dolphins.
Help stop the hunts: http://go.care2.com/e/R1WC/ApcI/usN9

Researchers have identified dolphins as one of the few non-human species that posesses "self-awareness," or the ability to know that one exists. Yet, during drive hunts, fishermen panic and confuse migrating dolphin pods and other small whales with loud banging, then herd them by the hundreds, into shallow coves. There, the dolphins lie helpless as their pod-members are slaughtered one by one.

According to The Ocean Project, every year, some 20,000 small cetaceans (some endangered) are killed or taken in these drives, some illegally. The animals include bottlenose dolphins, striped dolphins, spotted dolphins, Risso's dolphins, short-finned pilot whales, white-sided dolphins, and false killer whales.

The hunts have been universally condemned by marine experts around the world as brutal, inhumane, and unsustainable, but we need to exert more pressure before Japan makes any changes.

One dolphin supporter with the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society reported on the Risso dolphin hunt just days ago from Taiji, Japan:
"The dolphins are breathing, they are coming up and then swimming just below the surface, surfacing quite frequently, as this would be a sign of stress. I can only imagine the state of horror, shock and confusion that these poor animals are in now. [...] [T]he feeling of helplessness and horror is really hard to describe to you. This is an ultimately sad, tragic scene, and these dolphins will be pushed into a small bay tomorrow and killed."

Thanks for posting this, hopefully it helps generate a little more support!

JouteiMike

11-25-2006 11:19 PM

I'm part of the care2 petition as well. I get them for animals/environment and usually take the time to sign most.

It's horrible what is happening to all the animals in the world...succoming to the "wrath" of humans on this planet. Many people do not put them in consideration, and unfortunately, never will. I'm a fighter when it comes to this kind of stuff, and I think VERY highly of conservation to protect this earth for animals and their habitats.

bettababy

11-27-2006 04:06 AM

I also am a member of care2/petitionsite.com, and have already signed this petition when it first was written. This is sad and devastating, but how can we stop it? This has been going on for many many years, and the number one part of the problem is with the governments. We all know this is wrong, the scientists, conservationists, and other professionals have all stated the case many times over the years, but it falls on deaf ears. How can we get these governments to listen and to do what is morally right?
It might shock a lot of people to know that if asked, these governments can give no credible answer when the questions are put to them about why they allow this, how could it benefit anyone, and what the purpose is behind it. There is no good reason for it to happen, yet the people with the power to stop it refuse. Now, why is that? Today's society breeds violence and power hungry practices by doing things like this... how can we, the people, put a stop to it? It's things like this that give credibility to the pet store customers who come in looking for "killers" because it's "cool"... and it gives credibility to things such as dog fighting, cock fighting, and betta fighting. It's considered "sport".... and that is supposed to make it ok.
Does anyone have any good ideas about how to deal with the governments who have all of the control in situations like these? So far, anything that has been done has fallen on deaf ears... what we need are ideas that will make an impact on the specific officials who just aren't getting it thus far.

flatcam1

11-27-2006 04:41 AM

It's awful how these people are butchering and killing these innocent dolphins. if it is happening in china then it will be pushing the extinction of the chinese white dolphin further and further to reality.
It is awlful what they are doing to these poor animals!

Melissa

11-29-2006 09:57 PM

aww...thats so sad, i love dolphins. some people just think differently i guess.

Lupin

11-29-2006 10:03 PM

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the fate of the narwhals.:blink:

Melissa

11-29-2006 10:17 PM

there are a lot of animals in trouble. arent seals in touble too.

fish_4_all

12-05-2006 12:56 AM

Political relations, bottom line and as long no one is going to step up and say quit or else, nothing will change.

Kinda like bull and harbor seals in my county. Not only are they on the reocvery but now are at numbers that actually descimate salmon stocks. Protected to the extent the can not be killed for any reason. Why? Because the ones who keep the law the same are the ones being sponsored with millios of dollars by the animals rights groups.

Is there anything we can do, sure, get 50% of the population to not buy anything from Japan until it stops. Unfortunately that will work about as well as the gas walk outs that actually resulted in the gas companies producing less because of less demand and causig prices to ultimately go up $0.12 a gallon. We quit buying as much and the prices go up on what is bought driving the economy down in it's tracks.

Is a sorry relationship that world governments have but as long as they are willing to barter for the right to commit henious acts in turn for importing goods to here cheaper than they can produced here, (USA) then nothing will ever be done.

Melissa

12-05-2006 09:57 AM

yeas i believe you are right, its awefull that people will do things so bad for an easy buck.